Man&#39;s underwear



Sept. 16, 1941. e. M. KLOST ER' MAN 5 UNDERWEAR Filed Nov. 2'1, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR GEORGE M. KLOSTER ATTORNEYS 19.441- G. M. KLOSTER 2,255,931

MANS UNDERWEAR Filed Nov. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v ATTORNEY :JJ- v INVE NTOR GEORGE nmosren G. M. KLOSTER MANS UNDERWEAR Sept. 16, 1941. 2,255,931

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 27, 1939 INVENTOR I GEORGE M. KLOSTER W &W

ATTORNEY! 37 1 Fig. l0

Patented Sept. 16, 1941 MANS UNDERWEAR George M.

Knitting Company, of New York Kloster, Utica, N. Y., assignor to Utica Utica, N. Y., a corporation Application November 27, 1939, Serial No. 306,238

2 Claims.

This invention relates to men's undergarments and especially to such undergarments as. are sometimes called drawers. The invention is not affected by the length of the leg portions of the garment nor even by the practical elimination of the leg portions as in garments called briefs and having only leg openings at the bottom of the garment.

The purpose of my present invention is to provide a new and improved garment of the class described and especially a garment which is readily and economically made, and convenient and comfortable in use.

A further purpose is to provide a garment of the class mentioned wherein a front panel is provided, the lower part of which consists of two separate layers forming a wide self-closing fly, with the panel portions so constructed and combined with each other and the adjacent parts of the garment as to fit snugly and be comfortable to the wearer, and yet adapted to conveniently serve the purposes of a fly and to have said fly of such construction that it normally stays closed without the use of buttons or other fastening members, and with said panel-formed fly portion so constructed as to be held snugly and smoothly up in place.

A further specific purpose is to provide a front fly-forming panel which is provided with a threepoint suspension, namely a practically inelastic tape along both side edges of the panel with the upper ends of the tapes anchored to the waistband and with the central portion of the panel provided with a further support in the way of an upwardly curved tape overlapping the seam between the upper edge of the extra or second layer of the panel and the other or fu l length layer of the panel, so that the middle portion of the panel is supported from the waistband in a smooth position and with the whole panel and self-closing fly supported without sagging and without binding, and so that all stresses and strains from walking or other movements or even sitting down are divided evenly about the garment.

A further purpose is to provide a garment of the type mentioned with a crotch piece which is sufficiently large and accessible, and comfortably flat and buttonless, and which is well adapted to perform its function of supporting a mans'organs and body without strain, distortion, pinching or irritation.

Further purposes and advantages of this invention will appear from the specification and claims hereinafter set forth.

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a mans undergarment embodying this invention, the garment being extended to substantially the position it would occupy when worn by a man leaning to the right from his hips.

Fig. 2 is a similar rear perspective view of said.

garment but with the person standing erect.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the front of the garment when laid out flat but with the right leg folded in a special way to show the two vertical seams therein.

Fig. 4 is a similar plan view of the rear of the garment when laid out flat but with the right leg arranged to show the two vertical seams.

Figs. 5 and 6 are patterns or plan views on a small scale respectively of the right hand and left hand main garment members 9 and 10.

Fig. '7 is a similar pattern view of the back gore piece or gusset ll.

Fig. 8 is a similar plan view of the full length front panel piece I! and Fig. 9 is a similar pattern view of the shorter front panel piece l3.

Fig. 10 is a similar pattern view of either of the twosimilar crotch pieces M.

Fig. 11 is a similar plan view of either of the two similar leg gore pieces 15.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view substantially on line l2-l2 of Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale, across the front of the garment and showing somewhat more separated than is natural the two pieces of the front panel and their attachment towards the opposite sides of the garment to the opposite main side members of the garment.

Referring to the drawings in a more particular description it will be seen that the garment herein described is constructed of two similar but reversely-shaped main garment members 9 and I0, each adapted to form a side of the garment and a part of the front of the garment and a part of the rear of the garment, a rear gusset or gore piece ll of general triangular shape with its smaller end secured to the rear of p the waistband IS, a full length front panel piece l2, a shorter second panel piece [3, a crotch piece [4 and usually and most conveniently a couple of leg gore pieces IS.

The upper end ll of the longer front panel piece I2 is inthe form of an obtuse angle or a much flattened V, in order to help get a proper shape to the garment and an upward lift to the said front panel pieces l2 and I3. As will be seen more particularly from Figs. 1 and 3, the

front panel is composed of the full length panel piece l2 and the shorter panel piece l3. These pieces'overlap each other from the bottom of the panel upwardly forthe length or extent of the shorter piece l3 so that the front panel is for its lower two-thirds or thereabouts composed of two layers. 'I'heupper right hand side edge l8 of the full length panel piece I2 is secured as by a 7 suitable seam I9 to the upper portion of the front edge of the right hand main member 9, and the upper portion 2| of the left hand edge of the long panel piece I2 is secured as by a proper seam 22 tothe upper portion 23 of the front edge of the left hand garment member H]. For definiteness and convenience all references to the portions of the garment and to the several parts thereof are treated as right hand or left hand parts or edges according to the location of the part relative to the person. wearing it, so that the right hand main garment'member '9 is upon the right hand side of the person supposed to be 7 part appears on thelefthandside of Fig. 1 but appears uponthe right hand side of Fig. 2, which is a rear view of the garment. e

The lower portion 24 of the left hand side edge of the full length panel piece wI2'is permanently secured as by a'proper seam 25 to thelower slantwearing the garment of Fig. 1, and this ric, I- have found it desirable to reinforce the ing portion of the front edge 26 of the left hand main garment member II], but the lower and preferably concavely curved portion 21 of the right hand edge of the long panel piece 12 is not attached to the adjacently located lowerpart 28 of Jthe front edge, of the-right hand main garment member 9. In the garment shown in the'drawings herein it is assumedfor the purpose of defiof the seam 22 and following down said seam 22 niteness'in description that the second layer of the front panel, being the shorter panel piece I3,

is disposed upon'the inside of the garment and is located to the inner side piece l2. r 1

The 'convexly curved upper edge 29 of this short panel piece 13 is secured bya correspondingly curved seam 30-to thefabric of the long panel piece l2 on a curved line spaced down from the waistband l6. about as best appears in Figs. 1 and 3. Theright hand side edge 3| of the shorter panel piece'l3 is permanently secured as'by a suitable seam 32 to the lower slanting portion 28 of the front edge of the right hand main garment member!) but the other or left hand edge 33 of this shorter panel piece I3 is not secured'tobut" is purposely left free from the lower slanting portion' 26 of the front edge of the left hand main garment piece Ill.

In the garment illustrated in Figs. 1 to there i is shown and there will preferably be used leg 155' leg from the crotch downwardly to the bottom of gore pieces 15 to form the upper portion of the the mid-length legs shown on the garment. It will be understood that'these leg gore pieces are used'partly for properly shaping the garment and partly for economy inconstruction in that it is of the full length panel more economical to add on these small leg gore 1 pieces [5 between the opposite edges of each main 7 garmentmember at the bottom thereof to help make the leg portion,frather than to have the material required for .thisleg gore part-integral a with either or both edges of the mainside'garment members. 1 a T Q I Thecrotch is formed preferably of two separate piecesfl4 asshown in Fig. 10, and of exa tremely elastic material such for instance as that j produced bya spring needle knitting machine, --I the wales running from side to side of said pieces as\]shownin.Fig. 10, and thus affording great elasticity from the frontedge 34 to the rear edge 1 31. The front edges 34 of the crotch pieces l4 4| is to the upper edges are secured as by a seam 39 to the lower edge 35 of the long panel piece l2 and to the lower edge 36 of the short panel piece l3. The rear edges 31 of the said crotch pieces l4 are fastened by a seam 4.0 to the lower edge 38 of the triangular rear gore piece H. The two opposite slanting side edges 4| ofthe crotch pieces II are fastened as by seams 42 to the adjacent portions of the i V opposite legs of the garment. In thisgarment as shown and'described the attachment of said edges 43 of the leg gore pieces Onaccount of the garment so far described being in practice made of knitted fabric which has considerable elasticity and in view of the fact that the crotch piece is made of very elastic knitted fabric such as spring needleknittedfam garment in order to maintain the said panel and particularly the double-layered lower two-thirds thereof in desired close-fitting and properly suspended position and without sagging or becoming too loose. Likewise it is desirable to reinforce. the side'edges of the crotch piece so as to make'thatpiece reallya cradle crotch, that is properly and rather snugly supported at all four .of its edges;- These means for supporting and V scribed.

suspending the g A substantially pa e. left hand tape is attached to the garment, having its upper end securely connected to the waistband l6: at the top with the opposite sides of said tape strongly secured to the fabric of the garment on both sides of said seam as bya row of stitches 45 at the left side of said tape and extending through the main side member ID near its edge portion 23; and by a row of stitches 46 on the right hand side of said tape,.which stitches go'through the fabric of the full length panel piece l2 slightly back from its left hand edge 2|. This tape continues on down past the seam 30 that connects the shorter panel piece l3 to the long panel piece I2, said tape following down thefull length of the seam 25 by the said left hand main member l0 and secured thereto by a seam 41 at the left side of said tape,

.withthe stitches thereof going through the fab- ,back from the edge 26 of said main ric of the saidleft hand main member A similar, row of stitches 48 attach the right hand side of thistap'eto the'left hand side of the long or full length panel member [2 slightly back from its slanting edge 24." This left hand tape v44 ex- I tends. beyond the seam 39 at the bottom of the two panel pieces and extends along the left hand edge of the crotch pieces l4 overlapping the seam 42 which unites said left hand edge of the crotch pieces l4 to the left hand leg gore piece l5. For the width of said crotch pieces! 4 there is a row of stitches piercing the left hand edge of said tape and going to theleft hand leg gore'piece l5 and following the. tape to its further end where said tape is secured to the seam 50 which, above this point, connects the left hand side of the gore piece to the left hand main garment member ID as mostplainly appears in Fig. 4. It will be understood of course that another row of stitches 5| connects the right hand edge of this left hand inelastic tape .44 to .the two Crotch pieces l4 slightly back from their extreme sideedges. It will be noted inthe above description that neither rowof. stitches from the left handitape extends through the left band edge '33 of the inwardly disposed shorter panel'piece l3. Thatedge 33 as differentparts will now be de- 77 Ill slightly member ID.

- fabric of the said already mentioned is free of the overlapping long panel piece i2 and also free of any attachment to the left hand main garment member Hi except the extreme top and bottom of said short panel piece. It will be understood of course that the said edge 33 will have its own reinforcement by proper overcasting stitching or the like so as to prevent that edge of the inner panel piece from being unduly stretched or from unraveling.

A similar reinforcing and suspending tape 52 is provided on the right hand side of the panel with its upper end securely anchored to the waistband l6 and with its upper length overlapping the seam l9 between the right hand upper edge portion l8 of the long panel piece and the adjacent upper edge portion 20 or the right hand main garment member 9. A proper row of stitches 53 near the left hand edge of this portion of the tape connects the left hand edge of the tape to the said full length panel member l2 slightly in from its right hand edge l8 and a similar row of stitches 54 passes through the said tape near its right hand edge and into the right hand garment member 9 slightly back from its edge portion 20. This portion of the tape thus extends down to the seam 30 which secures the upper edge of the inner and shorter panel member I! to the said full length panel member I2. From this point the tape 52 extends downwardly overlapping the seam 32 already mentioned as connecting the right hand edge 3| of the short panel piece I! to the inner edge portion 28 of the righthand garment member 9. Here again of course the said tape-52 is securely fastened to the parts of the garment on each side of the said seam as by a row of stitches 55 going through the left hand edge of said portion of the tape and through the panel member I! slightly back from its right hand edge ll. Similarly a row of stitches 55 passes through the right hand edge of this portion of the tape and into and through the adjacent portion of the garment member 9 slightly back from its frontedge portion 28. This portion of this tape extends to the bottom of the panel pieces and the tape 52 is continued therebeyond past the seam ll uniting the bottom edges of said panel pieces to the crotch pieces ll, and continues along overlapping the seam 42 that unites the right hand side of the crotch pieces H to the adjacent crotch side of the right hand leg portion of the garment. The edges of this portion of the right handtape 52 are secured by suitable rows of sitiches to the said crotch piece near its left hand edge and on the right hand side then secured to the seam 58 that connects the right hand side of the back gore piece to the rear edge of the main garment member 9.

It will now be seen that these two substantially inelastic tapes will secure the whole front panel adequately, smoothly and effectively in position and likewise will hold the sides of the crotch pieces well up in supporting position but not so tight as to pinch that portion of the man's body under any conditions of walking, moving or sitting.

Beside these suspension at the the panel bodily is held up across the inner or shorter panel piece I! by reason of the shorter 75 crotch to-the adjacent leg portionof the garment-actually as this garment is the right and left hand side tapes 52 and M.

The material which pieces is relatively is used for the two panel elastic laterally of the garment but relatively inelastic lengthwise, that is up and down, of the garment. two panel pieces are well supported on the line of the seam 30 by the short zone of the full length panel piece I! that extends above the seam 30 and the tape 51 up to the waistband i6.

Iclaim:

1. In a mans undergarment of the type mentioned, the combination of two main side members, each forming one side and a leg portion and part of the front and part of the back of the garment, an elastic waistband, a rear gore inserted between the rear edges of the main garment members and having its upper end secured to the waistband, a front panel beginning at the waistband and having its lower end at the front of the crotch, a crotch piece of spring-needle material and having its wales extending crosswise of the garment so that said crotch piece is of extreme elasticity from front to back, said crotch piece having its front edge secured to the lower end of the said panel and its rear edge secured to the lower end of the rear gore and having its side edges secured to the leg portions of the garment, two inelastic tapes having their upper ends secured to the waistband and extending downwardly along the seams joining the panel to themain members of the garment and continuing along the opposite side seams of the crotch piece to the rear line of the crotch piece and there secured to the seams connecting the rear gore and the adjacent portion of the main members, so that the side edges of the crotch piece are held from distention and the whole crotch piece is securely supported from the body of the garment and from the waistband thereof and the said crotch piece forms a pouch.

2. In a mans undergarment of the type mentioned, the combination of two main side members, each formingv one side and a leg portion and partof the front and part of thevback of the garment, an elastic waistband, a rear gore inserted between the rear edges of the main garment members and having its upper end secured to the waistband, a front panel beginning at the waistband and having its lower end at the front of the crotch, a crotch piece of spring-needle material and having its wales extending crosswise of the garment so that said crotch piece is of extreme elasticity from front to back, said crotch piece having its front edge secured to the lower end of the said panel and its rear'edge secured to the lower end of the rear gore and having its side edges secured to the leg portions of the garment, two inelastic tapes having their upper ends secured to the waistband and extending downwardly along the seams joining the panel to the main members of the garment and continuing along the opposite side seams of the crotch piece to the rear line of the crotch piece and there securedto the seams connecting. the rear gore and the adjacent portion of the main members, so that the side edges of the crotch piece are held from distention and the whole Therefore the.

piece is securely supported from the body necting the lower or the garment and from thewaistband thereof and the said crotch piece terms a pouch, a second and separate layer 1'01- substantially the lower two-thirds of the front panel, having its upper edge secured to the full length piece or the panel on a line spaced down from the waistband and having its lower end brought into the seam conend of the panel to the crotch piece, each of the overlapping parts of said two panel pieces having one side edge secured to only one of said tapes and free at its other edge or the other tape, the attached side edge or each panel piece being adjacent the unattached side edge of the other panel piece, whereby the two panel pieces form a wide self-closing fly.

GEORGE M. KLOSTER. 

